Apple unveils Final Cut Pro 5

Apple today released Final Cut Pro 5 - a major update for Apple's professional video editing software. The new version features multi camera editing abilities with support up to 128 cameras and enables editors to simultaneously view and cut from multiple sources in realtime.

Final Cut Pro allows users to edit DV and SD material, as well as DVCPRO HD and uncompressed 10-bit high-definition video. It also supports formats like native HDV (long-GOP MPEG2) and 50Mbps IMX.

Version 5 also supports real-time effects on fully uncompressed HD video and makes it possible to use dynamic RT to maximize real-time performance by adjusting video quality and framerate on-the-fly.

Apple VP of applications marketing Rob Schoeben told MacCentral: "What we found from our Final Cut Pro experience is that people have fallen in love with a new way of working that has got as much of a ban on rendering as possible. You have real-time editing, real-time motion graphics and you want your audio to be real-time too - everything follows that theme. It draws a pretty stark contrast to some of the ways they are being asked to work on other platforms with other products."

Apple suggests a retail price of $1,299. Registered users from any previous version of Final Cut Pro can upgrade for $699.

It also supports Native HDV, improved editing tools, scalable real-time effects processing, advanced real-time color correction and image manipulation filters and audio control surface support.

More info at MacWorld